The premiere of IT: Welcome to Derry has arrived, bringing audiences back to the cursed town decades before the Losers’ Club ever faced Pennywise. The first episode, which aired on October 26, 2025, sets a dark and unexpected tone for the series, shocking viewers with a brutal finale that upends expectations. While the iconic clown is a no-show, his evil presence is felt throughout the town of Derry in 1962.
The series serves as a direct prequel to the 2017 and 2019 IT films, with director Andy Muschietti returning to helm the premiere. Bill Skarsgård also reprises his role as Pennywise, though he does not appear in his clown form in this first episode. Instead, the story introduces a new group of characters, both children and adults, who are about to discover the terror lurking beneath their town.
The Fatal Opening: Matty Clements
The episode begins with a boy named Matty Clements, who is trying to escape his unhappy life in Derry. After a narrow escape from a theater usher, he hitchhikes out of town, picked up by a family that seems friendly at first. The mood quickly shifts from cheerful to deeply unsettling as the family begins acting strangely, and Matty realizes they are driving in circles.
The situation erupts into horror when the mother in the car gives birth to a grotesque, winged demon. This creature is one of Pennywise’s many forms. Matty is killed, and his pacifier is shown floating in a drain, a clear callback to the fate of Georgie Denbrough in the original IT story.
The New Kids in Town
Following Matty’s disappearance, the story picks up months later, focusing on the kids who knew him. The main group consists of:
- Lilly Bainbridge: A girl bullied as “Loony Lilly” since her father’s tragic death. She was closest to Matty.
- Teddy Uris: The nephew of the future Losers’ Club member Stanley Uris.
- Phil: A friend of Teddy’s who is obsessed with conspiracy theories and the local air force base.
- Ronnie Grogan: The projectionist’s daughter who was the last person to see Matty alive.
Lilly is the first to experience the supernatural horror, hearing Matty’s voice singing “Ya Got Trouble” from The Music Man from her bathtub drain. Soon, Teddy is terrorized by a lampshade that morphs into human faces. These events convince them that something is very wrong in Derry, and they begin to investigate Matty’s disappearance with Ronnie’s help.
A Separate Struggle: Major Leroy Hanlon
Running alongside the children’s story is a separate plot involving Major Leroy Hanlon, the grandfather of Losers’ Club member Mike Hanlon. Leroy, an African American Air Force pilot, arrives in Derry with his family in 1962. He immediately faces racism from others at the military base.
His storyline is largely disconnected from the kids’ investigation in the premiere. He is attacked by masked men who want secrets about a military plane he is testing. This subplot introduces themes of prejudice and Cold War tension that the series promises to explore.
A Bloody Twist Ending
The first episode builds toward a shocking conclusion that subverts the classic “IT” formula. Believing they have found a clue, Lilly, Teddy, Phil, his little sister Susie, and Ronnie gather at the closed movie theater to watch The Music Man.
During the film, Matty appears on the screen, but he is not there to be saved. He blames the kids for not helping him and unleashes the same winged demon from the episode’s opening. The creature attacks the children in the theater.
In a brutal sequence, the demon kills Teddy, Phil, and Phil’s young sister, Susie. The episode ends with a traumatized Lilly standing in the lobby, screaming, holding Susie’s severed arm. Only Lilly and Ronnie survive the massacre, leaving viewers with a clear message that this prequel is not afraid to kill its main characters.
Pennywise’s Presence and Fan Reactions
While Pennywise himself does not appear in the episode, his influence is everywhere. The shapeshifting demon baby, the voices from the drains, and the manipulation of reality are all his handiwork. The premiere uses these elements to build a sense of dread without relying on the iconic clown, a choice that has generated discussion among fans.
The dramatic ending, which wipes out most of the young cast introduced in the episode, has been the biggest point of conversation. Many found it a bold and unpredictable move that sets the series apart from the familiar story of the Losers’ Club.
Behind the Scenes
IT: Welcome to Derry is developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, the same team behind the recent IT films. Jason Fuchs, whose previous writing credits include Argylle, wrote the premiere episode. The series is planned to have multiple seasons, with the first set in 1962. Future seasons are intended to jump back 27 years at a time to explore the deeper history of Pennywise and Derry.
The series aims to expand on the lore from Stephen King’s novel, particularly the interlude chapters that detail the town’s dark past. As one executive producer noted, the plan is to explore the origin of both Pennywise and the “cursed town” itself.
Also Read: Stephen King Gave His Blessing for HBO’s New ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Prequel Series
